Automatic snow pick-up and melting device



May 29, 1962 o. KEMP AUTOMATIC SNOW PICK-UP AND MELTING DEVICE FiledJune 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l PLO W DRIVE INVENTOR. OSCAR KEMP BYMom/27V May 29, 1962 o. KEMP AUTOMATIC SNOW PICK-UP AND MELTING DEVICEFiled June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 om E.

IN VEN'IOR. KEM P OSCAR H Li United States Patent Ofilice 3,036,391Patented May 29, 1962 3,036,391 AUTOMATIC SNOW PICK-UP AND NIELTINGDEVICE Oscar Kemp, 205--11 48th Ave., Bayside, N.Y. Filed June 26, 1961,Ser. No. 119,660 10 Claims. (CI. 3712) This invention concerns animproved snow disintegrator machine.

According to the invention there is provided a snow disintegratorinstalled in a motor truck when can be driven along streets and roads topick up accumulated snow. This disintegrator includes a dual, rotarydisk plow, a helical conveyor receiving snow from the plow and arotating drum which receives snow from the conveyor and reduces it toliquid form. The drum rotates in a fluid heat exchanging medium to meltthe snow. The melted snow is discharged from a hose connected to themachine.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a snowdisintegrator machine including a rotatable drum for receiving andmelting snow picked up by the machine.

A further object is to provide a snow disintegrator machine of thecharacter described installed in a motor truck, wherein the drum rotatesin a waterless, nonfreezing liquid bath heated by the exhaust of theengine of the truck.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompany drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front end view of a motor truck embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view on a reduced scale taken on line 2-2of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the drum per se.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a motor truck having a driverscab 12 at the front in which is a steering wheel 14, drivers seat 16 andcontrols 18 mounted on the instrument panel 20. The vehicle has frontwheels 22 and rear wheels 24. At the rear of the vehicle in body 25 isan engine 26 supplied with fuel via fuel line 27 from a fuel tank 28mounted in the body. To the extent described the vehicle isconventional.

According to the invention, there is installed in the vehicle body aplow having a sharp front blade 29. In the plow is a pair of helicalrotatably mounted blades 32, 34. The blades are axially horizontal andare driven via gears 35, 36 mounted in a gear box 37 and engaged bydrive gear 38 of a plow drive electric motor 40 mounted in a housing 42,see FIGS. 1 and 2. Power for the motor is supplied via a cable 43connected to output cable 41 of a generator 45 mounted on and driven byengine 26. The electric cable 43 can be passed underneath the vehiclebody to the generator. Partitions 46 define a hopper behind the plowblades which communicates with the open lower end of a conveyor tube 48.A helical rotary conveyor blade 50 is mounted axially in the tube. Theblade has a shaft 52 driven by an electric drive motor 53 via meshedgears 54, 56. The motor 53 is energized via cable 43 which terminates atthe cable 41 of generator 45.

At its upper end the tube 48 is formed with a chute or scoop 49 which isdirected into a cylindrical drum 60 through an opening 62 formed in thecircular head 64 of the drum. The drum is axially inclined downwardtoward the rear of the vehicle body 24. Inside the drum are a pluralityof circumferentially spac'ed, radially direcetd ribs 66, see FIGS. 2 and3. The drum has annular flanges 68, 69 welded to its exterior nearopposite ends of the drum; see FIG. 4. These flanges slidably abutpacking rings 70, 72 carried inside the vehicle body on partitions 74,76. The partitions form the ends of compartment '75 in the body in whichis a quantity of liquid 80. This liquid is preferably of a waterlesstype which does not evaporate and does not freeze at normal wintertemperatures. The liquid may be ethylene glycol or the like, generallyknown and commercially distributed as permanent antifreeze.

It will be noted that the partitions 74, 76 form a liquid-tightcompartment and the packing rings 70, 72 prevent leakage of the liquidwhile permitting rotation of the drum axially mounted therein. At itslower end 82, the drum was a shaft 84 secured axially thereto. The shaftis suitably connected to engine 26 and is driven thereby. A plurality ofholes 85 are circumferentially spaced in the end 82 of the drum. A cover83 is removably mounted in an opening 87 in the top of body 25. Theengine has a manifold pipe 86 connected to a muffler 88. A tail pipe 90is connected to the mufller and passes through the roof 91 of thevehicle body. A funnel outlet 94 is provided at the bottom 93 of thevehicle body in compartment 92, just below the end 82 of the drum. Ahose 95 is connected to funnel 94 at the bottom of the outlet.

In compartment 92, located just inside the rear wall 98 and door 99, isan oil burning furnace 100. The furnace is supplied with fuel oil from atank 102 in compartment 92. Pipe 104 connects the tank and furnace. Thetank has a filler opening closed by cap 106. The furnace chimney 108extends through the roof 91. A pipe 110 is connected via a pump 112between the furnace 100 and the compartment for supplying heated liquidto the compartment. Cooled liquid 80 is drawn via pipe 114 back to aboiler chamber in the furnace to which pipe 110 is connected to receiveheated liquid.

In operation of the machine, the vehicle is driven along a street orroadway to be cleaned of snow. The blade 29 cuts the snow close to theground and the blades 32 and 34 rotate in opposite directions cuttingthe snow which falls into the hopper 46. The snow is taken up by thehelical conveyor blade 50 and carried up the tube 48 to the chute 49where the snow is discharged into the rotating drum 60. The drum rotatesin the compartment 75 where heated liquid 80 is circulated by theexhaust of the engine. Also the hot portion of pipe 110 located incompartment 92 radiates heat to the air which circulates around thelower end of the drum. Thus the snow is melted and runs out of holes andthrough the funnel to hose to be flushed down a sewer. Since the engine26, mufiler 88 and furnace are all located in compartment 92, they alsoradiate heat which is conducted to the drum to heat the same. Thecompartment 75 is closed and isolated from the drum so that liquid 80willnot be diluted by the melting snow. The several ribs define channelsin the drum to guide the flow of melted snow. The ribs also serve toconduct heat in the drum.

The machine operates continuously while the engine powers the vehicleand turns the drum.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. A snow dispersal andtdisintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein.

2. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine! being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a furnace located in said one compartment, a pipeconnected to the furnace and extending into said other compartment tosupply heated liquid thereto, and another pipe connected from said othercompartment to the furnace to return cooled liquid thereto for heating.

3. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a furnace located in said one compartment, a pipeconnected to the furnace and extending into said other compartment tosupply heated liquid thereto, and another pipe connected from said othercompartment to the furnace to return cooled liquid thereto for heating,said liquid being a waterless, anti-freeze compound which remains fluideven when the engine and furnace are not operating.

4. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to'heat the drum formelting snow therein, said means comprising a plow mounted at the frontof said vehicle, a conveyor communicating with the plow and receivingsnow therefrom, said conveyor terminating in a chute opening into saidother end of the drum to discharge the snow,

thereat.

5. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment,

said drum extending through another of the compartments defined betweensaid partitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum,and a quantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat thedrum for melting snow therein, a furnace located in said onecompartment, a pipe connected to the furnace and extending into saidother compartment to supply heated liquid thereto, and another pipeconnected from said other compartment to the furnace to return cooledliquid thereto for heating, said means comprising a plow mounted at thefront of said vehicle, a conveyor communicating with the plow andreceiving snow therefrom, said conveyor terminating in a chute openinginto said other end of the drum to discharge the snow thereat.

6. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a pair of packing rings fitted in openings in saidpartitions respectively and sealing said other wmpartment to retain theliquid in the drum while the drum rotates.

7. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a pair of packing rings fitted in openings in saidpartitions respectively and sealing said other compartment to retain theliquid in the drum while the drum rotates, said drum having a pluralityof circumferentially spaced ribs extending radially inside the drum todefine channels for guiding melted snow to the one end of the drum.

8. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a pair of packing rings fitted in openings in saidpartitions respectively and sealing said other compartment to retain theliquid in the drum while the drum rotates, said drum having a pluralityof circumferentially spaced ribs extending radially inside the drum todefine channels for guiding melted snow to the one endof the drum, saidone end of the drum having a plurality of holes circumferentially spacedtherein for passing melted snow therethrough, said drum being disposedwith its axis inclined downwardly from said other end to said one endthereof.

9. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a, vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in'said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said enginebeing located in one of said compartments, saiddrum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a pair of pacle ing rings fitted in openings insaid partitions respectively and sealing said other compartment toretain the liquid in the drum while the drum rotates, said drum having aplurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending radially inside thedrum to define channels for guiding melted snow to the one end of thedrum, said one end of the drum having a plurality of holescircumferentially spaced therein for passing melted snow therethrough,said drum being disposed with its axis inclined downwardly from saidother end to said one end thereof, and a hose connected to the bottom ofsaid one compartment for conveying away melted snow.

10. A snow dispersal and disintegration machine, comprising a vehiclebody, a drum rotatably mounted in said body, an engine in said bodyoperatively connected to the drum to rotate the same, a pair ofpartitions in said body dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments, said engine being located in one of said compartments,said drum having one end opening into said one compartment, said drumextending through another of the compartments defined between saidpartitions, means for feeding snow into the other end of the drum, and aquantity of heated liquid in said other compartment to heat the drum formelting snow therein, a pair of packing rings fitted in openings in saidpartitions respectively and sealing said other compartment to retain theliquid in the drum while the drum rotates, said drum having a pluralityof circumferentially spaced ribs extending radially inside the drum todefine channels for guiding melted snow to the one end of the drum, saidone end of the drum having a plurality of holes circumferentially spacedtherein for passing melted snow therethrough, said drum being disposedwith its axis inclined downwardly from said other end to said one endthereof, a hose connected to the bottom of said one compartment forconveying away melted snow, a furnace located in said one compartment, apipe connected to the furnace and extending into said other compartmentto supply heated liquid thereto, and another pipe connected from saidother compartment to the furnace to return cooled liquid thereto forheating.

Hart Dec. 16, 1873 DHomergue Sept. 14, 1904

